Bill > H3724

This bill establishes a new solar incentive program to support the development of solar energy beyond 1,600 megawatts (MW) of direct current (DC) capacity, aiming for an orderly transition to a stable, equitable, and self-sustaining solar market that is affordable for consumers, while also promoting fair access to solar energy and ensuring program costs are shared by all electricity customers. The program will allow for the use of "attributes," which are defined by the department and represent the environmental benefits of solar generation, by retail electricity suppliers to meet their obligations under existing law. The bill also modifies net metering rules, which allow solar energy system owners to receive credit for excess electricity sent back to the grid, by introducing market-based credits for larger solar facilities (over 10 or 25 kilowatts depending on the electrical system) that connect after the 1,600 MW threshold is met, while smaller facilities will continue to receive existing net metering credits. It also defines "cap allocation" as a reservation of capacity under net metering limits and establishes a "system of assurance" to track and guarantee net metering eligibility before construction. The bill sets new aggregate net metering capacity limits for different types of entities, with specific rules for calculating capacity for solar versus non-solar facilities, and ensures that existing operational net metering facilities will maintain their eligibility for a period of 20 years before transitioning to market-based credits. Finally, the bill mandates public notification when the 1,600 MW solar generation threshold is reached and clarifies that the invalidity of any part of the act will not affect the rest of its provisions.